There's really so much to love here. You've got vampires, werewolves, sorcerers, and an unknown quantity, the Grays. You'll notice the one big thing missing here is the humans, because there aren't any. This is an actual unique take on this genre, which I had a lot of fun exploring. It's told from multiple points of view, so you get a look at things from a variety of sides. You've got your upper class of citizens vs. lower classes, your vampires vs. werewolves, and your sorcerers vs just about everyone. Then there's the cult whose whole purpose is to prove that mortals aren't just a myth, they were actually real. Genius! The characters are varied (obviously) and fleshed out very well. The world building is phenomenal, and the plot is one of a kind. My only criticism would be that information is sometimes dumped on you when giving the backstory, but that's only a minimal complaint when compared to all that is good about this story.

All in all, I enjoyed this book very much and look forward to seeing where the next book takes me.

5/5 stars

*** I would like to thank NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Ed Crocker for the opportunity to read and review Lightfall.

Title: Lightfall by Ed Crocker
Genre: Paranormal Fantasy
Pub Date: January 14, 2025

✨️ Vampires, Werewolves + Sorcerers
✨️ Unique Magic System
✨️ Multiple POV
✨️ Dark Academia
✨️ Found Family
✨️ Political Intrigue + Corruption
✨️ Forbidden Romance

💭 Lightfall by Ed Crocker is a world where blood is currency and vampires are divided based on the quality of blood they can obtain. I really enjoyed the concept of a corrupt blood market (and its parallels to underground dr*g dealing), and the author's world-building is extensive.

The multiple POVs were a bit confusing at first, but once the characters found their "voice," the story really picked up. Raven's POV is one of my favorites, and Alanna's sassy and outspoken nature adds a much needed touch of humor.

The cult aspect was interesting and definitely could've been explored further. The magic system, also tied to vampire class and blood quality, was very cool!

The pacing, especially in the beginning, is slow (mainly due to world building, but also a little due to confusing POV). It takes a while to pick up, and I felt the transition from YA to NA "tones" to be a bit jarring.

Overall, Lightfall is an enjoyable read with a unique premise and well-developed characters. If you're patient enough to weather the slower start, you'll be rewarded with a fun vampire story filled with political intrigue and forbidden romance.

Thank you, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley, for the digital review copy ❣️

3.5/5

PG-16: Some foul language (multiple uses of "F" and a 4 letter male part) and implied "brothel activities." Some descriptive gore w/ bl00d and violence.

Lightfall is a fantastical tale of vampires, werewolves, sorcerers and a mysterious creature plaguing the lands. It features a curious palace maid, who finds power in words, to learn the way of living prior to the war that drove her kind to this place.

An unfortunate series of events, including the murder of the King's son, upturns this young girls life. She finds herself embroiled in blackmail, involved with a rebels, a sorcerer from a far away land and betrayal within the King's inner court.

What an array of characters within this book. Each had wit, elements of intrigue and brought action. The ending sets up for book #2 in this debut series.

Thank you, St. Martin's Press

I don’t know what to talk about first. The amazing characters, the incredible storyline, or the aspects of fantasy that blew my mind in this book.

It’s unusual to encounter a new take on vampires, but Lightfall manages to do it. In this world, humans are an ancient myth. Instead, the land is populated with vampires, sorcerers, and werewolves. Hundreds of years ago, the mysterious Greys attacked and the vampires retreated to their last remaining city. No one leaves because the threat of Greys continues, and social hierarchy is strictly enforced by the source of blood the vampires consume (cow for the weakest and stag, bird of prey, and even werewolf for the strongest). In this setting, a prodigal vampire prince is killed just outside the city, and his death kicks off an investigation from an unlikely assemblage, including a vampire maid, a sorcerer with no magic, and a werewolf enforcer.

This was quite a bit of fun– interesting world-building, a mystery to be solved, and even a fairly complete story in the first book of what I assume is a trilogy. The latter is so welcome– I’m sick of cliffhangers that leave everything up in the air. To be clear, there are lots of loose threads to lead to sequels, but there’s a lot of satisfaction here.

It’s a very fun read, and I’m looking forward to the next one. My only qualm is that the party came together too quickly. It reminded me of a D&D session in which all of the player characters form a party quickly without being realistically suspicious of one another. There are some pains to address this though, especially with the countess. Highly recommended for other fans of vampire fiction!

4.5 stars total
This is the first book for a horror/ fantasy series that is told from multiple povs. Set in a world with only immortals in it, vampires, werewolves, and sorcerers. Sam is one of our main FMCS she’s a low ranking vampire as a servant in a high lord’s palace.
She is wanting to escape her fate as well as take revenge on the lords for the atrocities they have committed. There are three classes of vampire and they all drink different quality levels of blood.
The different blood give vampires different abilities like wings or strength. A people called the Grays appear out of nowhere one day, they have advanced technology and attacked the immortals causing them to flee their main city and escape to little ones. I think the whole concept of the different blood causing different abilities is super unique. The action scenes really sucked me in to this book and during them I couldn’t put it down. You learn a lot about the lore of this world as well as lots of info on the sorcerers magic. I really enjoyed how in depth each factions lore gets. Sam ends up helping to solve a murder along the way. There is also a heist that takes place as well. Honestly if you enjoy horror and fantasy books I would look into this one 🖤
Maybe look up triggers/ warnings before reading 📖

I don't read many vampire books, but this one was so good!

This starts off with the murder of the Lords son which sets off a series of events. Palace made Samantha is desperate for a life better than what he has now. She wants to be free of the lord who controls the blood. She is definitely a strong character and uses her whit and knowledge to stay ahead. I like that everyone is not entire immortal in this story. Your mortality seems to vary by class and what blood you get. This book involves vampires, werewolves and sorcerers. There is quite a bit of world building in the beginning of the book, but I think that it helped me envision this story so much better.

This series has so much more growth ahead I cant wait to see what is next!

A truly original spin on a vampire tale. There is plenty here to keep fantasy fans turning pages from start to finish. The story features a strong and capable female lead. I enjoyed every minute and am looking forward to more from Ed Crocker.
I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a scary and satisfying tale.

Hello! I dnfed this book at 60% unfortunately I have tried for months to pick this book back up but for some reason I just cannot. Something about the plot doesn’t vibe with me, it is very slow going and I just did not like the characters.

I apologize but I will not be posting or reviewing this book as I do not believe there is anything that is wrong with it I just believe I am not the right or intended audience.

I cannot emphasize how much I dislike the characters I found that they had almost 0 redeeming qualities, and I was not rooting for any of them

Personally I find the writing clunky and confusing. The pauses were very odd “….correct” and some very odd descriptive “dripped of his breeding”. Also, the characters aren’t very likable, which is why it was so hard for me to pick this book back up. Furthermore, I do believe this book is right for someone, but that someone is not me, which is why I will not be posting about it on my socials thank you very much for allowing me to have access to this review copy.

Lightfall by Ed Crocker is an exciting and captivating epic fantasy that weaves together classic supernatural creatures like vampires, werewolves, and sorcerers in a world teeming with danger, mystery, and intrigue. From the very first page, I was drawn into the complex relationships between these diverse characters, each with their own hidden motives and personal struggles.

The heart of Lightfall lies in its gripping mystery, which keeps you hooked throughout the novel. Crocker does an excellent job of blending suspense with the rich, fantastical elements of his world, creating a plot that’s both unpredictable and deeply engaging. I found myself constantly wondering what secrets would be revealed next, and by the time the final chapters arrived, I was left eagerly awaiting what the future would hold for these characters.

The characters themselves are another standout feature of the book. There are individuals you’ll quickly grow to love—characters whose moral complexity adds depth to the story. And, of course, there are those you’ll love to hate, which only serves to heighten the emotional stakes. The dynamic between the characters is full of tension, betrayal, and unexpected alliances, making each interaction feel charged with energy.

One of the things I particularly appreciated was the twists and turns that Crocker throws into the story. There were several moments that completely blindsided me, proving that this is not a book you can easily predict. It’s a reminder of just how much depth the author has packed into this world, and it leaves me excited to see where the story will go in the sequels.

The mysteries hinted at throughout the book are bound to become even more complex as the series progresses. With such a strong foundation set in Lightfall, I can’t help but look forward to the next installment to see how the story continues to unfold. If you’re a fan of epic fantasy filled with supernatural creatures, suspense, and unexpected twists, this book is definitely worth the read.

Okay…so…WOW. I have to admit it took me a little longer than i would have liked to get into this book, but once I did it was amazing. I love the world and character building! Thank you NetGalley for letting me read this and I hope to see the series continued! “Libraries save lives.”

The premise of this book sounded really interesting but I really was bored while reading it, unfortunately.

I found "Lightfall" by Ed Crocker to be a captivating entry into the realm of epic fantasy, weaving a rich tapestry of mystery, supernatural politics, and personal vendettas. This novel introduced me to a meticulously crafted world where vampires, werewolves, and mages vie for dominance, their alliances and conflicts driving a complex narrative of power and survival.

I was impressed by Crocker's storytelling, which shines through multiple points of view, offering me a multifaceted perspective on the unfolding drama. Among these, Sam stood out as a compelling protagonist. Her journey from a bookish, indentured vampire servant to a key player in the story's twists was surprising and satisfying. Sam's burning desire for vengeance and freedom added a personal stake to the larger conflict, making her story particularly engaging for me.

The antagonist of "Lightfall" is, in my opinion, refreshingly and unabashedly evil, presenting a formidable challenge that left other characters feeling genuinely helpless. I felt this clear-cut villainy provided a stark contrast to the bonds formed among the diverse cast of characters, highlighting themes of found family and unity in the face of oppression.

I was particularly impressed by Crocker's world-building, which I consider a standout feature, rich with history and unique interpretations of familiar supernatural creatures. The political intrigue and power struggles added depth to the setting, creating a vivid backdrop for the murder mystery at the heart of the plot.

In my view, "Lightfall" marks a strong start to what promises to be an epic fantasy series. Its blend of mystery, supernatural elements, and character-driven narratives left me eagerly anticipating the next installment and the further unfolding of this expansive, magical world.

Thank you, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley, for my free book for review.

Lightfall is different from the usual novel about supernatural immortal beings - werewolves, vampires, and sorcerers - there are no humans in the world of Lightfall, although there are rumors of mortals existing at some point in the past, before the Great Awakening, a never-explained occurrence that seems to have been the onset of intelligence in the various supernatural beings. Vampires in Lightfall drink blood from a variety of animals, but there is no mention, at any point, of drinking the blood of other vampires. In this caste-driven society, the rarer and more difficult to obtain types of blood are reserved for the wealthy and upper class, which provide a variety of abilities, while the lower classes must subsist on the blood of common animals such as cows. They do drink the blood of werewolves, which give them greater capabilities than any other type of blood available; werewolves are the only self-aware blood source mentioned.

The novel centers around Sam, a young female vampire who serves as a maid in the palace of the First Lord, the ruler of the city where all vampires live. Sam is a lively and intelligent young vampire, limited by her circumstances as the only survivor of a poor family of low caste, who is trying to raise her station - or at least her prospects - by reading every book she can access in the palace library, which she sneaks into clandestinely. This has been her life for a decade - hard, monotonous, unfulfilling, but still better than most Worn vampires (the lowest caste) can hope for. Then one day, she is sent to clean the room of the First Lord's recently deceased son, and with what she discovers, everything changes. Over the course of the story, Sam is thrown into existing plots to both maintain and change the status quo of her society. This is book one of a trilogy, and I look forward to book 2.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book provided by Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Magicless and Genre-Confused Story

“A novel of vampires, werewolves and sorcerers… debut epic fantasy by Ed Crocker…” a UK-based freelance editor, who has worked for the Sunday Times, and sci-fi publications. “For centuries, vampires freely roamed the land until the Grays came out of nowhere, wiping out half the population in a night.” The mystery of what this sentence is trying to say is solved in the opening page (thankfully). It explains that these categories of supernatural beings formed cities of their own, after the Great Intelligence gave them “self-awareness”. Only at Lightfall were the species mixing. The “Grays” are seemingly not immortals, like the others, and their name comes from their “gray cloaks that hide their features”. These Grays stage a war that near-exterminates all other species, forcing them to flee into smaller enclaves. This intro at least orients readers, instead of confusing them, so that’s a good start.
“The survivors fled to the last vampire city of First Light, where the rules are simple. If you’re poor, you drink weak blood. If you’re nobility, you get the good stuff.” This is the trope of setting the poor and rich as enemies in a struggle with a clear “villain”. “And you can never, ever leave.” Setting the no-leaving rule is necessary in many fantasy narratives because it clarifies why somebody might stay at a school, or city where they are in extreme danger of death: the characters must stay for there to be a story, and they have to keep facing more and more dangerous challenges, while refusing to just leave to immediately solve all their problems.
“Palace maid Sam has had enough of these rules, and she’s definitely had enough of cleaning the bedpans of the lords who enforce them. When the son of the city’s ruler is murdered and she finds the only clue to his death, she seizes the chance to blackmail her way into a better class and better blood. She falls in with the Leeches, a group of rebel maids who rein in the worst of the Lords.” It is a pretty ridiculous idea that all the rebels in this society are specifically “maids”. “…Soon she’s in league with a sorcerer whose deductive skills make up for his lack of magic, a deadly werewolf assassin and a countess who knows a city’s worth of secrets.” It’s confusing why this vampire city has the other (sorcerer and werewolf) species…
“There’s just one problem. What began as a murder investigation has uncovered a vast conspiracy by the ruling elite, and now Sam must find the truth before she becomes another victim.” This switches the narrative from being a rebellion story, to being a murder-mystery. These genres do not easily overlap, as a rebel would be actively trying to kill their enemies, while a detective would be trying to solve whodunnit on somebody else’s murder… Early mentions of the murder note that because an aristocrat has been killed, his brother is considering reacting by launching a premature war on the Grays in retaliation. This kind of ties the threat of war to this murder-mystery, but not the rebellion. “…If she can avoid getting murdered, she might just live forever.”
The big problem with this novel is the relative emptiness in its descriptions. There is a lot of sighing and wailing, but few reasons given about deeper causes, beyond somebody being killed being sad. If there are descriptions they are of wealth. Most scenes that involve magic are too mundane, like when a bunch of vampires drink different types of animal blood casually. An average empty sentence here is: “Well, it seems that we might have a common cause.” They go back-and-forth in a discussion without moving the narrative forward. This is not an enjoyable read.
—Pennsylvania Literary Journal, Fall 2024: https://anaphoraliterary.com/journals/plj/plj-excerpts/book-reviews-fall-2024

Thank you Netgalley for giving me this book to read as an ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book has werewolves, vampires, magic and an interesting system to supply the vampires with blood. The vampires and werewolves in the town of Nightfall have a strained relationship one is not to cross into the other's territory because of an incident that happened years past. They do not prey on humans which I liked because most books are centered around humans when it comes to werewolves and vampires. There is a more interesting relationship among the two immortal groups. There is going to be a book two and cannot wait to see where this story goes because there were twists and turns.
The worldbuilding took some time but was needed to understand the history of why things occur and the consequences. There are some same sex exchanges and bi-sex exchanges.

DNF at 15%

Unfortunately, this book is very not for me, and I'm bummed about it. I was very intrigued by the premise here - in a world without humans, the death of a vampire lord's son leads to the unraveling of a major conspiracy - but ultimately I think this book needed more development and editing.

My issues with this book primarily center on the writing, the characters, and the worldbuilding.

The writing is probably the piece of this book that I struggled with the most. I think it's aiming for descriptive, but it's achieving overcomplicated and clunky. No one here speaks like a normal person, and there are constantly ellipsis pauses right before the last word of a piece of dialogue, as if for dramatic effect, but these pauses are never used in an instance where dramatic effect is needed. For example, one character asks "How are the guards? Where they injured?" and when informed that the guards are fine, he replies "Well, thank goodness for ... that." Similarly, a character regularly says "If my theory is ... correct." These pauses are distracting rather than emphatic. There are also a lot of strange descriptions, as when someone's voice "dripped of his breeding." Overall, I think this just needed a stronger round of editing.

Moving on to the characters, I felt that most of them were unpleasant, which I actually usually don't mind, but it was clear that I was supposed to find them cool. Further, those same "cool" characters don't have compelling reasons to be involved in the mystery plot.

At the point that I read up to, we're following three characters: First Lord Azzuri, the victim's father (and likely a villain); Sam, a servant in First Lord Azzuri's palace who longs to escape and make a new life in a higher class so she can have access to better blood; and Sage Bailey, a cult leader obsessed with finding evidence that humans were real and not just a myth. Sam and Sage are both written as though they're supposed to be cool and smart, but both are incredibly condescending to their so-called friends, a feature that seems to be tied into both of their perceptions of their own knowledge. Sage in particular reads as though he's just BBC Sherlock with the serial number rubbed off. He's a ye olde fantasy detective who makes deductions at people and is clearly a little too into his own abilities.

Sam and Sage also lack compelling reasons to be investigating the youngest Azzuri's death. Sam wants to leave the palace and start a new life, but begins investigating when she happens upon a piece of paper suggesting that the victim was involved in some kind of investigation of his own. It's unclear how looking into his death provides her any advantage in achieving her own goals. Sage knew the youngest Azzuri, at least, but his reasons for looking into the death are completely self-serving and based on a wild leap of logic. He has a lot to lose by investigating.

The only character with a compelling reason to investigate (so far) is First Lord Azzuri, and it seems as though he's being set up to be a villain. I think he's by far the most interesting character, and I think the book would be more successful if he was the primary POV.

Finally, the worldbuilding feels disjointed. There are three immortal races, and it's believable to me that they would have different cultures. However, the differences in culture _within_ groups felt gimmicky and overcomplicated. For example, the different classes of vampires all have different naming conventions, with the lowest class having normal names like Sam and Beth and the middle class having descriptor names (Tenfold and Keepsake, for two). In the highest class, however, there appear to be different groups, and the reasoning is not clear. The one group we see most are the Red-Blue nobles, called such because their names are literally a word for red + a word for blue. Like First Lord Vermillion Azzuri. This led me to assume that the other groups of nobles might have names of other colors, but that does not seem to be the case.

Additionally, a significant portion of the worldbuilding here is that the world is populated only with immortal races. That said, they all treat time (and think about time) as a mortal would. They count in decades and act as though a city lost 150 years ago is ancient history, even though most of them were alive when that city was lost. The timeframes provided in the book don't work with the timescales you would expect of immortal characters.

Despite my issues with this book, I think that other people will probably love this. If you want a book that you can turn off your brain and enjoy, this may be for you. It may also be for you if you like Ead from The Priory of the Orange Tree or Poppy from From Blood and Ash. I think Sam is reminiscent of these characters. If you loved BBC Sherlock, you may like Sage. I do hope this book finds its audience, but that audience is definitely not me.

DNF at 20%
I really liked the opening which explained the world and history, but after that I couldn’t get into this at all. There’s writing seemed fine and easy enough to read, so it can certainly be more of a “me” issue.

Note: ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley & St. Martin's Press for the ARC!

I really anticipated loving this - and the reasons I didn't are truthfully a 'me' problem. The world building was clear and simple enough to figure out, but I expected a little bit more. I will say though, it's a great entry into fantasy for those just wanting to dip their toes in.

I loved the overall concept of a world where humans don't exist - I don't think I've ever seen that done before! I liked the differing levels of power certain blood sources give you - and what access you had to those blood sources depending on what class you were a part of. I really wanted this to be darker (a 'me' problem) and the pacing was ultimately too slow for me to fully embrace it.

I will still recommend this to people who are maybe just getting into fantasy and who love vampires as much as I do!

This world is that if vampires, werewolves, and sorcerers. Each have secrets they are hiding from each other while they navigate a delicate balance of a treaty made after the greatest vampire city fell to the Greys. Nobody knows what the Greys are or what they want, but everyone is afraid of them.
Sam is a poor vampire working as a maid in the castle of First Lord Azurri. The vampires survive off of magicked animal blood with different characteristics and strengths, with the strongest blood being Werewolf blood. Sage Bailey and Jacob are sorcerers from the Cult of Humanis, who study the ancient human artifacts of the extinct race. Raven is the princess of the werewolves and a hunter of the werewolves who escape the vampire jails. None of them have anything in common until they all come together to solve the mystery of the death of First Lord Azurri’s youngest son.

This book is like nothing else I have read and I LOVED it. The characters are so well-written and the twists and turns of the story had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. This is high fantasy done so right!

Thank you NetGalley and St.Martin’s Press for this ARC!